The Press., 1887-10-27
NEVER FOOL WITH 4 GUN OR PISTOL.

Never handle firearms carelessly. I used to do it, but of late years it makes me boi to have anybody point gun, or pistol tow, ard me. Two events in my life have done more to inspire within me T wholesome re spect for firearms than anything else that ever happened to me.
 When I was about fifty years old, bor- rowed shotgun of a chum.
 "Is it loaded ?'' was the first question asked
 "No," was the reply, and like goose believed what he said.
 On the way home with if, I met another boy who began lodging behind the shade trees as I approached, Indian fashion. of course, must do my part of the tragedy, so cooking the gun began to skulk too until, when we finally met, to show that he was plainly in my power, put the muzzle of the gun up close to his nose and pulled the trigger.
 I thought no more of the circumstance until evening, when began cleaning the gun, and found that it was clogged up, sC l could not blow through if. Procuring cap, placel it on the nipple, and going to the front door, pulled the, trigger, and away she went, with report that awoke the neighbors for blocks around, and filled the leaves of cherry tree near by as full of holes as a skinner.
 Then I though of Tom, into whose face had snapped the gun. The fact that the cap had become damp alone prevented the gun from being discharged and blowing Toms head into smithereens.
 Though his after life was fizzle, and he filled drunkard's grave at an early age, yet how my life would have been blighted if, through my boyish carlessness. he had been killed. Iv0wed WOW at that time never to be careless with firearms. One more circumstance occurred after had grown to manhood. was standing on a pile of lumber, busily engaged ir measuring lumber, wheps hearing q stclick' behind me, turned. and there stood g boatman pointing an army musket sQuarely at my head, and sighting along the barrel The muzzle of the gun was only six feet from my head ,and he had just snapped il at me. He was man fifty years old, and under the first angry impulse that came over me said
 "You old fool, you ought to know bet ter than to snap gun at Q fellows head il that careless way" "Oh, pshaw ! it isn't loaded"
 "How do you know that ?" ..
 Because it has been lying around my boat for than six months, and I know il isn't" -.--l
 "That's just the reason you don't know anything about it., said l.
 ''Wall, now, your making such fuss about it, I'm going to get cap, and show you. Here, hold the gun till come back.
 While he was gone ran the ramrod down the gun and faAnd.t that it was loaded
 When he returne6 with a cap removed the old and replaced si4 with a new one Pointing the gun upward pulled the trlg ger, and report folloEed. the recoil from which nearly knocked me of the lumber 1 pile and raised the boatman's hair on end
 "What do you think now?" asked.
 ''Well," said he, ''that's the last time shall point gun at anybody if live LOG 1 years"
 A damp cap alone saved me that time and though should not have been tc blame, yet this event would have blghted my life still more effectually than the first one, for it would undoubtedly have blown my head off my shoulders, and man who finds himself in that condition can but ac knowledge that his life is, ill measure, blighted, and his future plans and pros poets somewhat interfered with. Don't fool with firearms. If a gun is loaded and every one knows it is loaded, there is little danger. It is the gun and the revolver which is not loaded that goes off and kills folks, or mains them for life. So the only safe way is to handle them at all times as though they were loaded.
 Get into the habit of so doing, then il will become natural and easy to you, and you may be spared the agony of gazing up on the mangled form of some poor friend through whom you have let daylight.
 Always keep behind gun yourself, and point the muzzle away from other people.